On this day, 1 October 1946, police in Daegu opened fire on Koreans demonstrating against US domination following World War II. Sources report that two or three people were killed, and many injured. Lee Il-jae, who took part in the protest, later recalled to Yonghan Kim of Oh My News, “the citizens at that time had nothing to eat, so they rose up in front of City Hall and the Gyeongbuk National Police Agency.”
Protesters responded with a mass counter-attack, killing dozens of police officers. US occupation authorities declared martial to suppress the rebellion in Daegu, but uprisings then broke out across the country in the coming days.
The incident occurred amidst a general strike which had been launched in September by the Communist Party of Korea and became known as the Autumn uprising. Workers and peasants had various demands including food, land redistribution, the punishment of pro-Japanese collaborators and the transfer of power to People’s Committees.
Learn more about post-World War II Korean history in our podcast episode 51 about South Korean labour organisers. Listen wherever you get your podcasts or on our website: https://workingclasshistory.com/2021/03/24/e51-jeon-tae-il-and-lee-so-sun/ https://www.facebook.com/workingclasshistory/photos/a.296224173896073/2096075127244293/?type=3